(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for using a bioreactor carrier to be charged into a bioreactor and adapted to carry a biocatalyst such as an enzyme. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for using hydrothermally synthesized kaolinite as a carrier in a bioreactor, a bioreactor carrier-biocatalyst composite body composed substantially of hydrothermally synthesized kaolinite as a carrier and enzyme carried on the kaolinite carrier, and a bioreactor system using such a composite body.
(2 ) Related Art Statement
It has been known for a long time that enzymes are adsorbed on synthesized macromolecular materials or enzymes are enclosed and fixed by gels in order to industrially effect bioreaction by using the enzymes. Since these carriers are organic materials, they unfavorably have low strength, and are unsuitable when it is necessary to increase the size of the carrier. For this reason, it has been common in recent times to use purified inorganic minerals, such as silica and alumina, as carriers.
However, for example, when silica is used as a carrier, there is a problem that since silica is likely to be damaged with alkali, it cannot be used over a wide pH range. When alumina is used as a carrier, there is a problem that an amount of an enzyme fixed on the carrier cannot be increased. Further, when a natural inorganic mineral is used as a carrier, such a mineral inevitably contains impurities. Consequently, it is feared that ions such as Ca.sup.++ and K+, which the enzyme dislikes, dissolve out, and thus the activity of the fixed enzyme is deteriorated.